Sheet-glass-cutting apparatus



Aug. 13, 1929. J DRAKE 1,724,261

' SHEET GLA SS CUTTING APPARATUS Filed April 7, 1927 I J'bhh LDra/(e Ill I Aug. I 13, 1929.

STATES PATENT o FIcE.

, JOHN L. DRAKE, OF TOLEDQOHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIIBBEY-OWEN'S SHEETGLASS COMPANY, 01E TOLEDO, OHIO, A. CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SHEET-GLASS-GUTTING AZPIARAT'I 'S.

Application filed April 7,1927. Serial No. 181,740.

The present invention relates to sheet glass cutting apparatus.

An important object of the invention is to provide an apparatus adaptedfor use in accurately separating a continuous ribbon of glass into sheetlen ths.

Another object o? the invention 1s to pro vide an apparatus of thisnature wherein a continuous ribbon of glass canbe scored transversely tofacilitate separation of the ribbon into suitable sheet lengths, eachscore being parallel to the preceding score.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thisnature, including means for supporting a moving ribbon of glass, theapparatus including means adapted for movement with the sheet, and saidmeans carrying a scoring tool which may be moved into and'out ofoperative position, the scoring tool being movable transversely of thesheet in a predetermined path to score the same.

A turther object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thisnature, including means for supporting a moving ribbon of glass, andscoring tool carrying means ex tending across the sheet, the scoringtool being movable vertically independently of said carrying means. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide in cuttingapparatus of. this natime means for supporting a moving ribbon of glass,a cutter guide extending across the sheet, a cutter carried by saidcutter guide, and means for moving said cutter, transversely ot thesheet to score the same and tor automatically raising the cutter out ofengagement with the glass and for holding it in inoperative position. k()ther objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentduring the course of the following description when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of cuttin apparatus constructed in accordancewith the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, Fig, 3is a front elevation otthe scoring tool and support therefor, and w Fig.4 is an enlarged detail of the scoring tool and support therefor.

This invention is particularly well adapted for use in connection withthe Colburn type of sheet glass drawing apparatus whereln the sheet ofglass is drawn and deflected in a manner that it is passed horizontallythrough aleer and out onto a cutting table, although it is, of coursenot necessarily restricted to such a typeof machine. v

It has been customary in the past to receive the sheet, as it leaves theleer, upon a movable table where the operator draws a scoring toolacross the sheet transversely to separate it into suitable lengths. Dueto the fact that the sheet is comparatively wide and that it is movingconstantly, it is practically impossible for the operator to make freehand cuts that are accurate. Thus, it is necessary to cut each sheetconsiderably longer than is necessary to permit squaring up in thecutting room where the sheet is separated into commercial sizes. Theloss of production due to this one cause is considerable.

The present -invention has been designed to permit accurate cuts so thatthe ribbon of glass can be cut transversely either to size, 5

or substantially to size. In some cases 1t may be found desirable toleave a relatively small margin so that the sheet can be 'trimmed in thecutting room.

In the drawing, the cutting table, designated in its entirety by thenumeral 5, comprises a plurality of preferably wooden blocks 6 pivotallyconnected together in an ported on the rails by means of rollers 11.

A pinion 12 carried by each carriage is adapted for engagement with arack bar 13. By sing a rack bar and pinion arrangement at both ends ofthe cutting means, the guide member and breaker arms to be hereinafterdescribed are moved the'same dlstance at both ends,-thus preventlng anuneven out I "being made.

Arranged transversely across the sheet and connecting the carriages 10at the opposite sides of the table is ashatt 14 carrying the brackets15, which in turn support the cutter guide bar 16, said bar beingI'shaped ends with a vertically undercut groove 18 within which isslidably received the cutter holder 19 formed at its lower end with aforwardly directed extension or foot 20 which is adapted to support thecutter or scoring tool 21. This cutter or scorin tool may be of anyconventional or pre erred construction but has been shown, for thepurpose of illustration, as being of the hand I type now in common use.This type of cutter comprises in its construction a handle 22 extendingfrom the head 23 which carries at its lower end the cutting wheel ortool 24. The head 23 isadapted to be passed vertically through anopening or slot formed in the extension 20 and secured in position bymeans of a set screw 24.

The cutter holder 19 has pivoted thereto as at 26, one end of the handleor operating lever 27 whereby the cutter carrier 17, cutter holder 19and cutter 21 may be moved transversely across the sheet. The lever 27is provided at a desired location with a lateral projection or pin 28which is adapted to rest upon the top of the guidebar 16. Thisprojection or pin-28 acts as a fulcrum for the said lever 27.

The portion of the IeVeroutWardly of the pin 28 is adapted to act as acounterweight to balance the holder .19 and cutter 21 so that upon therelease of the lever by the operator, the cutter will be, automaticallyraised out of engagement with the glass and held in this position asshown in Fig. 3.

Extending from the carriage 10 and adapted to lie beneath the sheet 8 isa measuring bar or stick 29 arranged between adjacent rows. of blocks 6so that it in no way interferes with the support of the sheet 8. Themeasuring bar or stick 29 is calibrated as at 3.0 with the numbersbeginning at the carriage and extending outwardly towards the end of thestick. The measuring bar is further provided with a plurality ofopenings 31, one for and opposite each of the numbers 30, and adaptedfor individual and selective engagement within the said openings 30 is ablock 32.

In operation, the cutting tool '21 is normally held in an inoperativeposition by means of the lever 27 which acts as a counterweight ashereinabove described. The block 32 is then inserted within the roperopening 31 according to the length 0% sheet to be out. Since the sheetis continually moving, the end thereof bearing againstthe block 32, asshown in Fig. 1, will cause the carriage and associated parts to bemoved with the sheet. The handle 27 may then be grasped by the operatorand raised so that the cutting wheel 24 will be lowered into contactwith the sheet of glass 8, after which the said cutting tool is movedtransversely across the sheet to score the same. Upon the release of thehandle 27 by the operator, the weight of the same outwardly of the pin28 is such that it will automatically act to raise the cutter out'ofengagement with the ends of the arms 34 so that they contact with saidsheet during the breaking operation.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as the preferred embodiment of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Claims:

1. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, means for supporting a continuouslymoving sheet, cutter guiding means extending across the sheet andmovable therewith, a cutter carried by said guiding means and movablevertically towards and away from said sheet independently of saidguiding means, and means for counter-balancing the cutter toautomatically raise the same away from the glass and hold it ininoperative position.

2. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, means for supporting a continuouslymoving sheet, cutter guiding means extending across the sheet andmovable therewith, a cutter carried by said guiding means and movablevertically towards and away from said sheet independently of saidguiding means, and a lever for moving the cutter across the sheet, saidlever acting as a counterweight to automatically raise the cutter awayfrom the glass and hold it in inoperative position upon the release ofsaid lever by the operator.

. 3. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, means for supporting acontinuously moving sheet, cutter guiding means extending across thesheet and movable therewith, a cutter slidably mounted on said guidingmeans and movable into and out of engagement with said sheet, and meansfor counterbalancing thecutter to automatically move it out ofengagement with the glass and hold it in such position.

4. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, a table for a continuously movingsheet, a cutter guide extending across the sheet and movable therewith,a cutter carrierslidable on said cutter guide, a cutter holdervertically movablein said cutter carrier, a cutter carried by saidholder, and a lever connected with said holder whereby the cutter may bedrawn across the sheet, said lever acting vas a counterweight toautomatically raise the cutter, away from the glass and hold it in sucha position when said lever is released by the operator.

5. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, a table for the sheet, a cutterguide extending across the sheet, a cutter holder slidable onsaid guide,a cutter carried'by said holder and movable vertically into and out ofengagement with the sheet, and a lever connected at one end to saidholder and having a lateral projection intermediate its ends adapted torest upon said cutter guide, the weight of the lever outwardly of saidlateral projection being suflicient to counterbalance the cutter holderand cutter to automatically raise said cutter out of engagement withsaid sheet and to hold it in such a position upon the release of saidlever bythe operator.

6. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, a table for supporting acontinuously moving sheet, a cutter guide extending across the sheet andmovable therewith, a cutter carrying member slidably mounted on thecutter guide and movable across the sheet, a cutter holder mounted inthe cutter carrier for vertical movement with respect thereto, a cuttercarried b said holder and movable into and out o engagement with thesheet, and a lever connectedatone end to said holder and having meansintermediate its ends adapted to rest upon said cutter guide, the weightof said lever outwardly 0 said means being sufficient to counter-balancethe cutter holder and cutter to automatically raise the cutter out ofengagement with said sheet and to hold it in such position upon therelease of said lever by the operator.

7. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, a table for the sheet, a cutterguide extending across the sheet, a cutter carrying member slidablyholder carried by the cutter carrier and vertically movable with respectthereto, a cuttor carried by said holder and movable verticallytherewith into and out of engagement with the sheet, and a leverconnected atone end to said holder and having means intermediate itsends engaging the cutter guide so that the said lever may be rockedabout said means to raise and lower the cutter holder and cutter withrespect to the sheet. L y

8. In sheet glass cutting apparatus, a movable table for supporting acontinuously moving sheet, a cutter guide extending across the sheet andmovable therewith, a cutter carrying member slidably mounted on thecutter guide and movable across the sheet, a cutter holder carried bythe cutter carrier and vertically movable with respect thereto,

a cutter carried by said holder and movable vertically into and out ofengagement with the sheet, a lever connected at one end to said holder,and a fulcrum carried by the IeVeLintermediate its ends and adapted toengage the cutter guide so that upon rocking of the lever the cutterholder and cutter may be moved vertically with respect to the glass.

Signed at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 4th dayof April,

JOHN L. DRAKE.

-mounted upon the cutter guide, a cutter

